Ladder-hook.



P. w. GHIGKERING.

LADDER HOOK.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1911. 1,01 8,877. Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

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F. W. OHICKERING.

LADDER HOOK. APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 20, 1911.

1,018,877. Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT 0FF1CE.

FRANK W. CHICKERING, OF I-IARDWICK, VERMONT.

. LADDER-HOOK.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK W. CHIOKER- ING, citizen of the United States, residing at Hardwick, in the county of Caledonia and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladder-Hooks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in ladder hooks.

One object of the invention is to provide a ladder hook having an improved means for attaching the same to two rounds of a ladder whereby a stronger and more durable connection is provided and in which the strain on the ladder is evenly distributed and slipping is absolutely prevented.

Another object is to provide a ladder hook having an adjustable attaching means whereby the same may be applied to ladders having rounds located at different distances apart and which may be attached at any point on the ladder.

'With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a front view of the upper end of a ladder showing the invention applied thereto; F ig, 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the hook member of the attachment; Fig. 1 is a similar view of the clamping member; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly modified form of the invention; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View thereof; Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the clamping member of the modified form of the device shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

In the embodiment of the invention, I provide two hooks l which may be formed of any suitable metal and constructed in any suitable manner, the same being here shown as being stamped or cut from heavy sheet metal and as having the shanks 2 thereof given a half turn or twist, so that the flat sides of the bills or outer portions of the hooks will be at right angles to the flat side of the shanks. The inner portions of the shanks 2 are connected together and spaced a suitable distance apart by an integral cross Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 20, 1911.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

Serial No. 661,315.

bar 3, while the inner ends or extremities of the shanks are bent upwardly in an opposite direction from the hooks 1 to form ladder engaging lugs 1. Formed on or suitably secured to the cross bar 3 is a centrally disposed clip 5 having thereon a depending guide sleeve 6 in which is arranged a set screw 7.

Slidably engaged with the clip 5 and sleeve 6 is the connecting bar 8 of a hook clamping member 9. The member 9 comprises a cross bar 10 which may be secured to or integrally formed on the lower end of the connecting bar 8 and which corresponds in length to the'length of the cross bar 3 on the shanks of the hooks. Formed on or otherwise secured to the ends of the cross bar 10 are curved rung engaging lugs 11 which are adapted to be engaged with the lower side of the next rung below that with which the lugs 4 of the hooks are engaged. By adjustably attaching the upper end of the connecting bar 8 of the clamping member with the clip and sleeve of the cross bar 3 of the hook member, said clamping member and hook member may be spaced apart to the proper distance for engagement with the rungs of the ladder, thus permitting the device to be attached to dilferent ladders in which the rungs may be a greater or less distance apart.

Slidably mounted on the connecting bar 8 is a sleeve 12 having on its lower end a curved rung engaging lug 13 which is adapted to be brought into engagement with the upper side of the rung with which the lugs 11 are engaged and which co-acts with said lugs 11 to clamp the bar 10 to the rung thus securely fastening the connecting bar in posit-ion to permit the cross bar 3 and lugs 1 to be adjusted thereon into clamping engagement with the next upper rung of the ladder in which position the cross bar 3 and hook member of the device is securely fastened by the set screw 7 The sleeve 12 when adjusted to bring the lug 13 into-operative engagement with the adjacent rung of the ladder is securely fastened to the connecting bar by a set screw 14 arranged therein as shown. On the upper end of the connecting bar 8 is formed a short stop lug 15 which prevents the disengagement of the bar from the clip 5 and sleeve 6 of the hook member.

By attaching the hooks to the ladder in the manner described it will be seen that the lugs on the hook and clamping members of the device engage the rungs of the ladder near their ends or adjacent to the side bars of the ladder, thus forming a much stronger attachment than would result should the lugs be engaged with the rungs near the center thereof. By this means of attachment the strain of the latter is not only more evenly distributed but the possibility of the hooks or other attaching devices slipping laterally on the rungs of the ladder is env tirely obviated.

In the last three figures of the drawings is shown a slightly modified construction and arrangement of the clamping member of the hooks, said member being shown in these figures as consisting simply of a hook shaped lug 16 which is secured to or integrally formed on the lower end of a connecting bar 17 which corresponds to and is adjustably connected with the hook member in the same manner as the connecting bar 8 shown in the first form of the invention.

In applying the last form of the invention to a ladder the hook member is engaged with one of the rungs and the connecting bar adjusted until the lug 16 thereon comes into engagement with the upper side of the next lower rung in which position the ladder is securely fastened by the set screw 7 in the sleeve 6 of the hook member as shown. By thus attaching the hook member the same will be firmly held in engagement with the ladder and for many purposes this form of the invention may be employed with equal advantage as the form shown in the preferred form of the device. The connecting 7 bar 17 has on its upper end a stop lug 18 which prevents the .disengagement of the bar from the clip and sleeve of the heok member.

The hook member employed in the last described form of the device is constructed in exactly the same manner as the hook member shown in the first form and a further description of this member is not thought to be necessary.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the acompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted towithout departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a pair of hooks operatively connected together, rung engaging lugs formed on the shanks of the hooks and adapted to be engaged with the rung of a ladder, and a clamping member having an adjustable connection with said hook member and adapted to be engaged with the next rung below that with which the lugs on the hooks are engaged whereby said hook member is securely fastened to the ladder.

2. In a detachable ladder hook, a hook member comprising a pair of hooks, rung engaging lugs formed on the shanks of said hooks, a cross bar to connect said hooks together and to space the same apart, a clip arranged on said cross bar, a sleeve connected with said clip, a set screw arranged in said sleeve, a connecting bar having an adjustable engagement with said sleeve and clip and a clamping member formed on the lower end of said bar and adapted to be engaged with the next rung of the ladder below that with which the lugs of the hooks are engaged and to be held in engagement with said rung by the set screw in said sleeve whereby the hook member is securely fastened to the ladder.

3. In a device of the character described, a hook member comprising a pair of hooks operatively secured together, rung engaging lugs formed on the ends of said hooks, a clamping member comprising a cross bar having thereon rung engaging lugs adapted to be engaged with the next rung below that with which the lugs of the hooks are engaged, a connecting bar secured to the cross bar of said clamping member and having an adjustable, connection with the hook member, and a clamping lug having an adjustable engagement with said connecting bar and adapted to be engaged with the rung of the ladder with which the lugs of the clamping member are engaged and to coact with said lugs whereby said connecting bar is securely fastened to said rung in position to hold the hook member in operative engagement with a ladder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. r

FRANK-WV. CHICKERING.

Witnesses: V

ESTHER F. MoRsE, EARL R.- WVELGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for. five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. a 

